San Ysidro superintendent to take the 5th

An $18 million lawsuit against the San Ysidro School District has been pushed back by at least three months because a key witness — Superintendent Manuel Paul — is facing criminal corruption charges.

Judge Steven Denton agreed to the delay after the district’s lawyer said Paul planned to invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination and refuse to answer any more questions in depositions.

“Mr. Paul has been indicted, and I am informed and believe that the superintendent will be asserting the Fifth Amendment on every question posed,” attorney Arthur Palkowitz wrote in a motion to the judge.

In a deposition last year in the case filed by Eco-Business Alliance, Paul said he accepted $2,500 in cash in a steak house parking lot from a contractor seeking work from the district.

Paul testified that the money was for campaign posters for a school-board candidate, and documents later filed with state regulators raised further questions about the transaction — which has been the subject of state and federal investigations.

The Eco-Business Alliance lawsuit stems from the district’s cancellation of an $18 million contract for the company to install solar power systems at district campuses.

The lawyer for Eco-Business Alliance said he was disappointed with the ruling but understood the judge’s decision.

“All we want to get at is the truth,” attorney Patrick Prindle said Friday. “If my key witness had just been indicted, I’d probably try to get the case resolved rather than continued.”

Paul was among 15 South Bay school officials and contractors indicted last month by the San Diego County grand jury. He faces six felony and misdemeanor charges related to a widespread corruption case unsealed by the District Attorney’s office last week. He is expected to enter a plea on Jan. 30.